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L O Donald Elementary

Q: Is L O Donald Elementary a good school?

L O Donald Elementary ranks 1428 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1428^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 69% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

L O Donald Elementary is a PK-5 school in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, serving 324 students as part of the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), with over 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This school stands out for its remarkable effectiveness with students facing economic disadvantages, ranking in the 86th percentile statewide for its work with low socio-economic status students in the 2025-2026 school year—far outperforming nearby schools like Anson Jones Elementary and Hall Personalized Learning Academy At Oak Cliff that serve similar demographics. The school has also shown a strong turnaround, jumping from the 33rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 69th percentile in 2025-2026, a much sharper improvement than its peers.

A key strength is the bilingual program, where 5th-grade students taking the STAAR Reading test in Spanish achieved an 81.25% proficiency rate in 2025-2026—dramatically higher than the district average of 50.59% and the state average of 34.82%, and the highest rate among all nearby schools. This success extends to Hispanic students, with the school ranking in the 79th percentile for this group. However, science remains a challenge, with only 9.3% of 5th graders proficient in 2024-2025, the lowest among immediate peers like Celestino Mauricio Soto Junior Elementary and Leila P Cowart Elementary.

While the school spends significantly per student ($13,499) and maintains a low student-to-teacher ratio (12.6), its performance with Gifted and Talented students ranks in the 29th percentile, suggesting resources are focused on supporting students below grade level. Compared to the neighborhood leader, Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary (89th percentile), L O Donald is closing the gap with a steeper growth trajectory. For parents considering this school, the bilingual program and support for economically disadvantaged students are standout features, while science and enrichment for advanced learners are areas to watch.

324

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,520

Per pupil spending ?

95.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1218 Phinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75211-6235

(972) 794-5300

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend L O Donald Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Zan Wesley Holmes Junior Middle
High:	Justin F Kimball High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

93.5%

White:

3.4%

African American:

2.5%

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Compare L O Donald Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 69th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 24 percentile points since 2016

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

✓Above the Texas median (69th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg48%

Texas avg50%

1,428^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 31%▲ up 25 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

31^st of 149Elementary Schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

441^st of 951Dallas Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	63.6	1428 of 4627	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	44.9	2445 of 4651	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.6	3174 of 4710	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.3	1986 of 4647	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.5	2015 of 4581	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.6	1588 of 4578	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.0	1827 of 4479	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.3	1378 of 4359	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.1	1435 of 4329	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	48.4	2378 of 4286	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	47.3	2475 of 4320	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2014	31.0	3357 of 4260	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.6	3705 of 4221	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	25.3	3632 of 4206	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	11.9	3935 of 4095	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	17.7	3665 of 3937	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	20.9	3534 of 3884	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	13.2	3598 of 3768	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	23.2	3302 of 3724	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	32.9	2740 of 3476	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	18.1	3224 of 3475	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	26.7	2979 of 3465	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	82.0	376 of 4461	91.6%	★★★★★
2021	73.4	595 of 4331	86.3%	★★★★☆
2019	68.8	849 of 4295	80.2%	★★★★☆
2018	83.8	309 of 4240	92.7%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	53.8	1180 of 2918	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.8	850 of 3668	76.8%	★★★★☆
2023	60.7	1121 of 3556	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.4	839 of 3487	75.9%	★★★★☆
2021	66.5	748 of 3446	78.3%	★★★★☆
2019	51.8	1472 of 3333	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.3	566 of 3226	82.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	72.3	997 of 4575	78.2%	★★★★☆
2025	49.3	1778 of 3744	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.5	2094 of 4658	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.8	1813 of 4588	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.6	1931 of 4561	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.5	1576 of 4499	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.1	1501 of 4348	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.7	1308 of 4306	69.6%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	45.1	2187 of 3075	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.7	2299 of 2619	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.1	2324 of 2980	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.5	2169 of 2958	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.7	2371 of 3006	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.2	2629 of 3184	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.6	2119 of 3106	31.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	70.6	909 of 4413	79.4%	★★★★☆
2025	55.5	1454 of 3644	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.9	1665 of 4465	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.7	1492 of 4401	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.0	1459 of 4376	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.4	1042 of 4329	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	59.5	1415 of 4188	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.1	948 of 4168	77.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	76.3	619 of 4520	86.3%	★★★★☆
2025	62.4	1114 of 3705	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.6	1119 of 4594	75.6%	★★★★☆
2023	69.7	924 of 4521	79.6%	★★★★☆
2022	65.8	1130 of 4477	74.8%	★★★★☆
2021	68.8	906 of 4451	79.6%	★★★★☆
2019	62.3	1218 of 4309	71.7%	★★★★☆
2018	76.7	546 of 4264	87.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	49.9	2115 of 4582	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.4	1853 of 3739	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.6	2084 of 4647	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.6	2116 of 4585	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.1	2110 of 4563	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.9	1542 of 4498	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	49.1	2065 of 4357	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.6	1551 of 4319	64.1%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	55.1	1441 of 4301	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.4	1654 of 3549	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.6	737 of 4292	82.8%	★★★★☆
2023	33.6	2839 of 4086	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	64.1	900 of 3952	77.2%	★★★★☆
2019	43.3	1850 of 3684	49.8%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

At Risk (2022)92nd percentile+36 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)86th percentile+17 vs school

Hispanic (2026)79th percentile+10 vs school

Female (2026)78th percentile+9 vs school

Special Education (2026)66th percentile-3 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)60th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2026)54th percentile-15 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)29th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading59%+5 vs state

Mathematics51%+4 vs state

★

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Schools Near L O Donald Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)			STAAR Reading (2026)				STAAR Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	Total
L O Donald Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1218 Phinney Ave	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-5300	324	26	12.6	95.7%	11 (3.4%)	8 (2.5%)	303 (93.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63.6	1428^th of 4627 public elementary schools	69.1%		44.9	2445^th of 4651 public elementary schools	47.4%	1017	22.2	54.6	81.3	33.3			64.3	52.4	60.0		45.2	51.2	57.1		$12,520
Golden Rule	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	622 Sunnyside Ave	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Golden Rule Charter School	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 333-9330	99	9	11.0	92.9%	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.2	3549^th of 4627 public elementary schools	23.3%		52.2	2012^th of 4651 public elementary schools	56.7%	1537							62.5	15.4	50.0		44.4	15.4	33.3		$10,125
Celestino Mauricio Soto Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4510 W Jefferson Blvd	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-5100	444	30	15.0	94.1%	9 (2.0%)	7 (1.6%)	421 (94.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	59.2	1646^th of 4627 public elementary schools	64.4%		51.8	2039^th of 4651 public elementary schools	56.2%	393	45.5	42.9	66.7				47.1	55.3	65.0		42.6	52.9	53.3		$11,790
Anson Jones Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3901 Meredith Ave	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-4700	539	34	15.8	98.1%	6 (1.1%)	15 (2.8%)	508 (94.2%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	36.4	2987^th of 4627 public elementary schools	35.4%		32.2	3295^th of 4651 public elementary schools	29.2%	308	27.0	52.6	17.7			16.7	50.0	27.8	50.0	37.5	32.1	53.7	32.8	40.6	$10,523
Hall Personalized Learning Academy At Oak Cliff	Public	PK, KG-5	2120 Keats Dr	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-5400	443	28	15.8	95.7%	8 (1.8%)	2 (0.5%)	429 (96.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	41.5	2623^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	43.3%		50	2141^st of 4651 public elementary schools	54.0%	482	29.0	81.8	39.4		37.5		30.4	41.0	58.1		38.3	49.1	43.8		$12,789
Leila P Cowart Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1515 S Ravinia Dr	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-5500	515	41	12.5	94.4%	9 (1.7%)	5 (1.0%)	493 (95.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	49.2	2160^th of 4627 public elementary schools	53.3%		46.3	2363^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	49.2%	203	37.9	81.8	73.3				50.0	49.3	48.0		45.8	64.2	28.6		$11,945
Arturo Salazar Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1120 S Ravinia Dr	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-1800	424	30	13.9	97.9%	8 (1.9%)	9 (2.1%)	404 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	55.9	1811^th of 4627 public elementary schools	60.9%		48.1	2250^th of 4651 public elementary schools	51.6%	439	34.6	58.3					44.1	62.5	54.2		37.7	59.3	51.6		$12,966
George Peabody Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3101 Raydell Pl	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-5200	318	21	15.5	94.7%	12 (3.8%)	10 (3.1%)	288 (90.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	62.1	1507^th of 4627 public elementary schools	67.4%		39.7	2792^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	40.0%	1285	0.0	0.0					52.2	62.1	75.8	50.0	45.2	48.6	54.1	45.5	$16,175
Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1665 Duncanville Rd	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-1300	538	35	15.4	91.6%	14 (2.6%)	23 (4.3%)	492 (91.4%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	86.8	515^th of 4627 public elementary schools	88.9%		77.7	849^th of 4651 public elementary schools	81.7%	334	72.7	72.7	76.9				67.2	78.2	71.4		63.3	82.9	59.2		$10,583
Leslie A Stemmons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2727 Knoxville St	Dallas	75211	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-4900	603	40	15.0	95.7%	12 (2.0%)	34 (5.6%)	542 (89.9%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	49.1	2166^th of 4627 public elementary schools	53.2%		50.9	2093^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	55.0%	73	45.5	60.6	43.8				53.2	42.6	57.9		46.3	47.5	41.4		$10,131

Frequently Asked Questions about L O Donald Elementary

How many students attend L O Donald Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 324 students attended L O Donald Elementary.

Is L O Donald Elementary a good school?

L O Donald Elementary ranks 1428^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is L O Donald Elementary in?

Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

What is the racial makeup of L O Donald Elementary?

Students at L O Donald Elementary are 94% Hispanic, 3% White, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of L O Donald Elementary attend?

Students who attend L O Donald Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Zan Wesley Holmes Junior Middle
High : Justin F Kimball High School

Rate L O Donald Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.